Shohei Ohtani Just Gave The Phillies A Break
Shohei Ohtani has absolutely taken over the sport of baseball this season. He is a monster on the mound, a prolific slugger at the plate, and maybe the best player to ever put on a baseball uniform. While the Los Angeles Angels continue to find ways to struggle in spite of his greatness, you still have to worry about Ohtani when the Halos pop up on your schedule. Or rather, you HAD to worry about Ohtani.
Unfortunately for the sport of baseball and the excitement he has garnered, the lock AL MVP suffered an elbow injury earlier this week, and some imaging revealed that was indeed another tear of his UCL. His pitching year is finished, he could be heading for another Tommy John surgery, and the Angels have already said that he won’t swing the bat for a couple of days. It’s a tough blow for one of baseball’s brightest stars, but it comes at an advantageous time for the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Angels come to town on Monday, August 28th for a 3-game series against the Phillies. Even though they are an American League opponent, every series is critical at this time of year for playoff positioning. The Phillies need every game they can get, and now there’s a chance they won’t have to face Ohtani either on the mound or at the plate. We know for sure that Shohei Ohtani won’t be pitching in the series, and depending on just how long LA plans on resting him for, he may not even make the trip to Philly. It’s a rough break for any Phillies fans who have already bought tickets in hopes of seeing the generational superstar, but it’s a good turn of events for the Phillies.
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There’s also an interesting element that goes beyond just the upcoming series between the Phils and the Angels. Ohtani is set to be a free agent this year, and was a mortal lock to receive the largest contract in the history of the sport. Now, though, who knows where his value goes if he indeed receives a 2nd Tommy John surgery? There is a possibility that his pitching career is never the same again, or that teams may not even let him pitch for fear of losing him as an elite power hitter. What does that mean for his free agent courting?
Well, as value goes down, the number of suitors goes up. It turns the Ohtani situation from the big market teams outspending each other, to a potential situation where mid-level franchises might be willing to shell out for the star. Could that lead to a better opportunity for the Phillies to sign him?
Well, yes, it certainly could. There are no guarantees, but the murkier the water gets around Ohtani’s impending free agency, the better chance for most teams in the majors. There isn’t a single team in baseball that wouldn’t want to employ Ohtani’s services, but a price drop means more teams can meet the asking price. That would lead me to guess that competitive teams become more attractive to a player like Ohtani, who is yet to play in the postseason in his MLB career. The Phillies are absolutely a competitive team, so maybe there is an advantage there. Either way, this Ohtani news has some interesting implications for the Phillies, and baseball in general.
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